The development of PCR, which enables extremely small amounts of DNA to be amplified, led to the rapid development of a multiplicity of a- lytical procedures that permit use of this new resource for the analysis of genetic variation and for the detection of disease-causing mutations. The advent of capillary electrophoresis (CE), with its power to separate and a- lyze very small amounts of DNA, has also stimulated researchers to develop analytical procedures for the CE format. The advantages of CE in terms of speed and reproducibility of analyses are manifold. Furthermore, the high s- sitivity of detection, and the ability to increase sample throughput with par- lel analysis, has led to the creation of a full range of analysis of DNA molecules, from modified DNA adducts and single-strand oligonucleotides through PCR-amplified DNA fragments and whole chromosomes. Capillary Elect- phoresis of Nucleic Acids focuses on analytical protocols that can be used for detection and analysis of mutations and modification, from precise DNA loci through entire genomes of organisms. Important practical considerations for CE, such as the choice of separation media, electrophoresis conditions, and the influence of buffer additives and dyes on DNA mobility, are discussed in several key chapters and within particular applications.
